Tag: Toys (41-50 of 60)

Mar 18 2010 06:03 PM ET

Which other celebrity pinball machines should exist?

by
Tags: , , , , , , Movies, Television

Some nerd named Ben Heckendorn created a pinball machine based on the collective works of Bill Paxton. Genius! Check out more photos, video demonstrations, and “Bill Paxton Pinball Evolution” on Ben’s blog; meanwhile, here are my Top Five Dream Celebrity Pinball Machines. I bet this guy gets commissioned for thousands of these things. [via Kotaku]

5. Belinda Carlisle
4. Tom Bergeron
3. Wendie Malick
2. Big Bird, with focus on his Asian travels
1. Jessica Walter

What are yours?

Annie on Twitter: @EWAnnieBarrett

Mar 10 2010 04:30 PM ET

'Mad Men' characters don't just look like Barbies...

by
Tags: , , , , , , , Mad Men

They will be Barbies! Mattel is planning versions of Barbie and Ken modeled after Mad Men‘s Joan, Roger, Don, and Betty. If you can afford one of the 7,000 to 10,000 copies — they’re $74.95 each! — it will surely be your “statement doll.” According to the New York Times, in the interest of maintaining that wholesome Barbie image we all know and maybe have weird nightmares about as adults, “The dolls come with period accessories like hats, overcoats, pearls and padded undergarments, but no cigarettes, ashtrays, martini glasses or cocktail shakers.” What?! How will I make mine act out typical scenes like Draper dinner party, 11 a.m. in the Sterling-Cooper office, or working lunch? READ FULL STORY »

Feb 19 2010 03:13 PM ET

'Plants vs. Zombies' (App review): Tower Defense gameplay...undead!

by
Tags: , , , , Videogames

Surviving the zombie apocalypse is far from a fresh video game concept. But even within the overcrowded graveyard, PopCap’s wildly addictive and endlessly charming Plants vs. Zombies has managed to stick out like a decaying appendage from under a tombstone.

The folks who previously siphoned untold hours from our lives with can’t-put-’em-down entries Bejeweled and Peggle now bring this latest pick-up-and-play hit to the iPhone. Like its PC predecessor, the App borrows the tried-and-true Tower Defense gameplay formula that’s been taxing our thumbs and brains for years, but injects it with fresh accessibility and appeal. The simple concept has players planting a variety of zombie-slaying seeds in their yard to keep the shuffling corpses from reaching their home — it’s easy to learn, but difficult to master. Over 40 types of seeds spawn an agricultural arsenal of pea shooters, undead-stomping squash, and butter-flinging corn on the cob; the aggressive parade of undead crazies use pogo sticks, ride dolphins, and even dance like Michael Jackson in “Thriller.” PvZ’s engaging style perfectly complements its strategy-driven play.

While the iPhone version does drop a few of the modes from the PC original, the content is still piled as high as the zombie corpses. And at just $2.99, you’d be as brain-less as the game’s flesh-craving freaks if you passed this one up.
Grade: A

Feb 10 2010 03:54 PM ET

Google Buzz logo has me a little bummed out

by
Tags: , , , , , Gadgets

As a followup to Margaret’s more extensive post about Google Buzz from yesterday…is anyone else getting kind of annoyed by its adorable four-colored logo in Gmail? Every time I look at it, I’m less likely to want to use Google Buzz (for now) and more disappointed that clicking on the thingie will not let me play a Gmail-based game of Simon. (I realize you can play Simon on the internet already, but I don’t want to open a 14th tab. I’m too busy deciding which of my 231 Drafts to flesh out into a real live message!)

Annie on Twitter: @EWAnnieBarrett

Feb 8 2010 02:25 AM ET

Super Bowl ads: Five best and worst

by
Tags: , , , , ,

Super Bowl XLIV is in the books, and while New Orleans’ come-from-behind triumph over Indianapolis was a thriller, Kim Kardashian’s team of choice was not the only winner on the evening. Indeed, the Super Bowl telecast featured more than 50 national advertisements — and at CBS’ premium prices for a 30-second spot, the need to get positive attention was more pronounced than you’d see in a week-long marathon of SuperNanny episodes. Some ads succeeded, some floundered, and some made us feel the burn of bile in our throats (combined with the distinctive flavor or cream-cheese-n-chili dip)…so without further ado, my picks for the five best and worst ads of the night. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 5 2010 04:00 PM ET

Best Pez dispenser you ever owned?

by
Tags: , , , , , Food and Drink

I just read the New York Times‘ obituary of Curtis Allina, the candy company executive who died at 87 on Dec. 15 and was instrumental in putting the heads on Pez dispensers. Here are a few pieces of Pez trivia that I found slightly more tantalizing than lemon-flavored Pez: (1) The first Pez, in 1927 Austria, were mint-flavored and the name came from the German word Pfefferminz; (2) Pez has inspired a museum, a movie, and this one guy to cover an entire car in dispensers; (3) Flip-top Pez dispensers were modeled after cigarette lighters in hopes that the candy would provide an alternative to smoking. I wonder which Pez dispenser Don Draper would use (WPDWDDU?) if he suddenly had to quit. I’m thinking either Lisa Simpson Pez or Donatello from TMNT Pez. Then again, a simple, black Darth Vader dispenser is classic and would go with all outfits from all decades, except these.

What’s been your favorite Pez dispenser over the years? You’re probably cool and own a retired Peanuts Pez or a vintage 1970s Fireman Pez – no feet. Mine was pretty boring: the Daisy Duck one I carried around during high school. Goofy would have been a more appropriate character for me, but I liked that Daisy had a purple base instead of orange. I was so much gayer in high school. I especially liked dispensing Pez once every seven minutes during AP U.S. History because it felt like I was methodically dosing myself with magic pills to get me through the hour. I thought strawberry Pez went very nicely with a can of Mountain Dew. I also had Yoshi but ended up giving him away to a girl who was better at Super Mario Land than me. Out of respect.

Dec 24 2009 01:00 PM ET

Your favorite pop culture ornament?

by
Tags: , , , ,

A rather dashing reindeer friend of mine just sent me this video of a talking Statler and Waldorf Christmas ornament — a true standout in his mom’s impressive animated ornament collection. She also has the Swedish Chef. Press play below. These two better not be referring to Dancing With the Stars!

Do you own or have you come across any cool pop culture-themed ornaments in your holiday travels, Poinsettia-dubs?

Dec 21 2009 09:45 PM ET

'Toy Story 3' clip: Gasp! Buzz and Co. in the trash?!

by
Tags: , , , , , , Movies

I don’t know who gasped more during this new clip from Toy Story 3: Woody, Buzz, et. al. as they weather the harrowing ordeal that is Andy’s decision about who goes with him to college and who goes in the Black Plastic Trash Bag of Doom; or me, watching it all unfold. I’m going to go with me, since my multiple gasps were more of the OMIGOD melodramatic variety. No, I am not ashamed.

Me = Officially hooked. My favorite Pixarian detail: The quick glimpse of the faded toy height chart on Andy’s bedroom door frame as Woody freaks out that, “That’s not trash, that’s not trash!” So are you hooked, P’Dubs? Were you shocked that Andy chose Woody over Buzz? Or are you a heartless human lump of coal for whom two Toy Story films was apparently enough?

Dec 18 2009 10:30 AM ET

'Avatar' and augmented reality: The future of toys?

by
Tags: , , , , Movies

You may not know it yet, but your kids are definitely going to want some Avatar toys. The movie, like Star Wars before it, is a visual-effects watershed that should blow the minds of 10-year-old kids everywhere (and should blow your mind too, as long as you can get past the simplistic plot and occasionally hokey dialogue). Mattel’s new line of Avatar toys includes action figures, an assortment of Pandora creatures, and a few nifty military vehicles. But the toys wouldn’t warrant an association with Avatar if they weren’t high-tech in some way, so Mattel went to the effort to make this the first toy line that uses augmented reality.

Each toy ships with an “i-TAG” badge that you hold in front of your computer’s webcam. Magically, a 3-D model of your toy appears on the screen. As you move the badge around, the animated model follows. Most impressively, if you purchase the Battle Pack collection ($14.99), which features six i-TAG badges, you can have various 3-D models actually fight one another on your screen. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 16 2009 05:09 PM ET

Dalton's '80s sweater evokes Rainbow Brite doll

by
Tags: , , , ,

Sorry, buddy. You wear an ’80s sweater with horizontal sleeve stripes to work, you deal with the consequences. You don’t have to pout about it. Next time, please go for it a little harder with some fun leggings. Now come by my office and we’ll find a nice shiny blue ribbon for your hair.

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP
Which will you see this weekend?